1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-362831 and FIGS. 5 and 6 of this application disclose a connector with a housing 1 that has a cavity 2 for receiving a terminal fitting 3. A locking lance 4 is cantilevered to extend forwardly along an inner wall of the cavity 2 and can deform into a deformation space 5 as the terminal fitting 3 is inserted into the cavity 2. The locking lance 4 then returns resiliently to retain the terminal fitting 3 in the cavity 2. A removal space 6 opens in the front wall 7 of the housing 1 for a mold that is used to form the locking lance 4. An entrance hole 8 is formed in this front wall 7 so that a tab of a mating terminal (not shown) can enter the cavity 2 from the front. A tapered guiding slant 9 is formed on the front surface of the front wall 7 to surround the entrance hole 8. The guiding slant 9 guides the tab into the entrance hole 8.
The locking lance 4 has a locking projection 4a that projects into the cavity 2 for engaging the terminal fitting 3. A part of the guiding slant 9 is cut by the removal space 6. A projecting distance of the locking projection 4a from the lock 4 is increased to increase an area of engagement of the locking projection 4a with the terminal fitting 3 to improve retaining reliability by the locking lance 4. However, an increase of the projecting distance of the locking projection 4a also increases an opening area of the removal space 6. As a result, the cutout area of the guiding slant 9 by the removal space 6 increases to reduce a guiding function by the guiding slant 9.
The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to improve the reliability of a retaining function by a locking lance without reducing a guiding function of a guiding slant.